Backyard Hacks

Backyard Hacks

So if you haven’t noticed, I am obsessed with Life Hacks. As a reminder, life hacking refers to any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life. In other words, anything that solves an everyday problem in an inspired, ingenious manner. Well, I am moving on up in the world of life hacks – I am moving out of the house and into the BACKYARD!!!

About Jennifer Fishkind

Hi! I’m Jenn - mother to three beautiful boys, wife to an amazing husband, social influencer and blogger. I live in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where we are fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful friends and family. For almost 20 years I worked in the not-for-profit world, but not so long ago I took a leap of faith and decided to dedicate myself first to my family and then to my website and my Pinterest addiction (check me out, I have more than 3.5 million followers! www.pinterest.com/jfishkind). Any questions - shoot me an email at jennifer.fishkind@gmail.com.

Comments

Do you actually have OCD? If not, you should know that it’s very offensive to say things like that. I know people who would not have read past that and put you on blast on Facebook telling everyone they know to boycott. I’m not one of those people, but I did find it offensive as well. Just wanted to let you knoww. 🙂

Love the outdoor hack ideas! The outdoor lamp is at the top of the to-do list! [BTW, as a mental health professional I must say that if someone gets offended because of your use of the term OCD (or, how you used it) then they certainly have deeper issues that merit intervention. Keep doing what you are doing.]

I’m not sure what you thought was not “professional” she is merely speaking from experience! Anyone who can’t embrace their disorder or takes offense to a disorder them there self’s don’t have then yes there is an underlying condition associated with accepting what you have or even what you don’t have! I’m sure Tammy doesn’t suffer from OCD so im not sure who nominated her as our spokes person but she definitely made us out to be unforgiving basket cases! For you to question her years put into helping people who can’t help themselves make you no better then our voice Tammy who clearly knows what we will and won’t except!

Lol…I agree Doc…..that seems to be an issue with control?? Maybe a little narcissism? I am trying to put my finger on it..someone who has security issues. I guess I’m rambling but agree I love her artiçle

Hey I’m not offended by this post, however I don’t claim to have OCD, but I’ve reserched a lot about the issue (maybe not the science of it but the social and emotional part of the experience) the person who had first expressed their offense somewhat failed to express why someone with OCD might be offended, the reason is because a lot of people claim to have OCD as if it is somthing by choice or another word for “having things in the way and order I prefer” or “being orderly and clean” but if you think about it this kind of thinking isn’t an abnormal thing, a lot of people can and will say they like things a certain way, but what’s abnormal about OCD is that it is not a choice, it could be cleaning your hands or having things straight, but there are a lot of other things like, turning the lights on and off 12 times, or checking the locks over and over, counting steps, not touching your face more then 10 times, having everything at an even number, and a lot of these things lead to one thing, and that is the severe superstition that if these things aren’t done then somthing bad will happen. So a person with OCD might feel in the deepest part of themselves that if they don’t count their steps their family will die in a car crash or somthing (not joking that is a cosequence someone had used to explain their own OCD) so what might be offensive to someone with actual OCD is that it is labeled and downplayed as a silly preference and choice that is completely at the fault of that anal retentive person, when in reality it is a condition that the person does not have control over, in fact it is their own personal hell because they don’t want to do these things as they are quite inefficient and just build up the stress that the person already has. So I don’t really Blame that person for being offended, because when people say “oh yeah I am so OCD because I can’t stand to have dust in my cabinets” it’s supporting the thinking that people with OCD are just very into cleanliness but are very obnoxious about it. So I think rather then getting mad about someone using the mental disorder wrong you should educate them and tell them what it really is, an then maybe they’ll tell someone else.
Also, by the way, I love these garden hacks! So well put together. Thank you!

There are many forms of OCD. I have the type that causes my brain to over concentrate but I’ve learned to live with it over the past almost 60 years. I have so many gifts such as creativity, individually, and task completion, I have managed to build 3 successful small businesses and I credit my parents and educators to accept my unique style of learning. The disability has also made me a much better teacher and guest speaker in sharing my abilities with others. Let’s just accept all the unique attributes of others as a “positive” instead of being so critical of others. Just my observations.

Thank you for explaining on behalf of the person who brought attention to the possibility of offense. I have lived with it and experience with my child who has suffered from OCD as well.
I am NOT offended, but understand how someone could be and neither stance is wrong.
The blogger was gracious and humble to receive the information and apologized for possibly offending. It is not our place (social media scrollers) to tell someone else to “lighten up” because we can not empathize with their view or position. What offends me may not offend you (vice versa) and that is OK. no need to bully, just take what you can from another person expression of pain and try to be better in our next set of actions. We could all use a bit of empathy and understanding in this world. I LOVE YOUR BLOG and your compassion and humility just made me a fan. Thank you.

I love your postings. I have severe OCD with multiple things. (Labels facing forward, groupings of items, colors, sorting, making sure my clothes & kids clothes are folded the same sizes & grouped together properly. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.) I didn’t find anything offensive.

You know Jordan, It sounds like you are just a great organizer and planner to keep your day running smoother. If you are any worse than this, it’s probably because you have done it for so long and found the comfort in how your day runs. So, you go on and move on to other things in your home or travel (whatever it may be), that assists you because we all know as parents, IT’S NOT EASY! In all that we do. How many times do we here parents scream….”THERE IS NOT ENOUGH HOURS IN A DAY!” There is nothing wrong with those of you that have been labeled OCD. Who wants eat germs, drag it in house, sloppy home… think about it. It’s life.

Generalizations are actually what people with “labels” like OCD find offensive. Not all OCD sufferers are compulsive hand-washers. I have OCD and am not a hand-washer; however my son, who also suffers from OCD, is…..and despite how clever this outdoor hand washing station is (love it!), he would NEVER use it, primarily because of the heightened “germiness” of the outdoor set-up (imagined, of course, but that goes with the territory). To each his own, I guess!

No, not all people who have OCD wash their hands that often. It is a common compulsion for SOME with OCD. Your statement is exactly what is offensive. OCD itself has nothing to do with cleanliness. It is about people having an uncontrolled obsession to the point that they are compelled to do something over and over, even when it seems to make no sense. That might be hand washing, or folding clothes a certain way, or planting their garden a specific way – with a specific pattern, and with precise plant spacing – and the need to correct it until it is “perfect.”

Lady are you serious? If you are that thin skinned, you must have a heck of a time getting through a single day in 2014. I honestly don’t understand how people can read so far into something and find some far fetched reason to be offended. These hacks are INCREDIBLE and I cannot wait to share them with my wife. We’re relatively new homeowners and these are outstanding little things that are functional and affordable. Tammy, if something like a quip about being OCD bothers you that much, then you obviously have no clue as to what goes on in the world. Go volunteer at the humane society, a soup kitchen, or children’s hospital; you’ll find out pretty quick what really matters. Jenn, keep the articles coming. They are fantastic to those of us that have our heads on straight.

I have OCD. It sucks and it hinders my life in so many ways. Luckily Fore though I only suffer from OCD and not the clearly debilitating ‘stick up my ass disorder’ you obviously suffer from. Shut up lady. I’m pretty positive you don’t have it and are just trying to be a troll because if u did u would love the good press she’s giving us. She was sayin it like it’s a good thing.

Tammy do you even know what your talking about I offended by your comment and trying to assume what people like me would take offensive! I have been on medication to help control my OCD that was ruining my life! Nothing said was offensive except your judgment on how we may feel! Take a seat and worry about your own problems we can speak for ourselves!

Wow, Tammy, wound a little tight or what? She was just kidding about being obsessed with life hacks, okay? We all say things like that in everyday conversation, and those of us with OCD are not offended. Speaking for myself, at least. Maybe you need to take a chill pill.

Hey Tammy. You’re whats wrong with this world. You can’t go around all day watching everything you say so carefully so not to offend somebody. No matter what, people are going to find something to be offended about. I have OCD and couldn’t give two shits about it.

I suffer from OCD behaviour and I am not offended in the least. I have to make fun and look at the lightside of my issues. Humour is very important in dealing with anxieties. I think you are an overly sensitive person.
Pull the twisted panties out of your butt and go for a run, or a massage, listen to quiet calming music, go to the beach, etc. Find something else to do, rather than go on the internet. Like the real world, the internet is a big, bad, scary place for the easily offended people, such as yourself. 😊 Peace! ✌️

Hi Lonna – Any of the hacks that have instructions are linked – you should be able to click on them. If I couldn’t find the original source, I didn’t link them… but most have them. Let me know which you are looking for and I will see what I can do!!!

TIP to everyone who thinks you can click on the first picture you see. You MUST click on “click here to continue reading”. The scroll down until you see the directions. THEN click on the photo of the project you are interested in. Thank you Jenn, I love your site. So many neat ideas!!!

I worked in a non profit the last ten years, the last six as a supervisor. I’m now a stay at home mom too. It was a bit of an adjustment but I’m loving being home with my daughter . Love your blog and tips!

These are great ideas that my wife and I will start to implement. As for the OCD comment, nothing about that was even remotely close to being offensive. I was offended by her questioning what you said about your self. She is just a drama queen. Anyways you handled that much better then I would have. Shows good character. 🙂

Love Love Love all your hacks, and enjoy your website….Just wanted to tell you I cringed when I read your favorite hack about mosquito bites…Searing your skin with a hot spoon! Oh Goodness No! I live in Alaska, where the mosquito is considered the state bird, and my grandma gave me the best advice I need to share….just put amonia in a small bottle, I use Martha Stewarts paint bottles, purchased at Michaels Arts and Crafts, because it has a very small hole with a cap on top, and drizzle a bit of amonia on the bite, and rub it in…instantly the itch is gone for good, without any painful sizzling of skin, and scarring forever….a q-tip would work well too.LOVE from ALASKA!!:) Ps. if you read the ingredients on AFTER BITE, the main ingredient is you guessed it! Amonia, and a whole bottle of amonia is SUPER cheap…avoiding the ever expensive product.

I’m glad that this site told me that if I had any creativity I could do these things, but did not tell me HOW to do them, and I don’t have ANY creativity. How do you make some of these things that I now want to do but don’t know how to do?

I just think now days , everything is taken too far.. I am almost afraid to day or do or even think anymore.. Someone somewhere will make an issue of it. Why are people so eager to find fault with others. That is why this world is in the state it is.. I think everyone has a tick of some kind .. Don’t throw stones.. One may rebound. See how that works out for you,, that means any one not one person!!! Love the hacks.

Just came across your site and I am in love. Despite the rantings of some (losing sight of the purpose here) there are amazingly simple methods to make the task of being a parent and running a home so much easier and less stressful. I am grateful that you have taken the time to not only find but share these useful hints. Thank you from a sunny South Africa, I will definitely share.

I am so thankful I stumbled upon your blog via the Outdoor Lamp post. I think you have some wonderful ideas and I cant wait to try them out. Your blog is adorable and looking around on it was an all around wonderful experience! Thankful for bloggers like you Jennifer!

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Hi, there. I’m Jenn . . .

Hi! I’m Jenn - mother to three beautiful boys, wife to an amazing husband, social influencer and blogger. I live in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where we are fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful friends and family. For almost 20 years I worked in the not-for-profit world, but not so long ago I took a leap of faith and decided to dedicate myself first to my family and then to my website and my Pinterest addiction (check me out, I have more than 3.5 million followers! www.pinterest.com/jfishkind). Any questions - shoot me an email at jennifer.fishkind@gmail.com. Read More…